Camellia Petals
by MintyOrange
Summary: Being dead is never easy, especially for one Kagome Higurashi who can't seem to stay out of trouble and meeting Captain Hitsugaya may change her afterlife forever. With hollows on the fritz and workplace drama, what's a girl to do?
1. Tea

Captain Toshiro Hitsugaya needed to leave the office, immediately. It was the middle of summer and the hot air made the office stuffy and uncomfortable. Even though he had spent the better part of the day cooped up in said office completing paperwork, there was still a substantial pile of it left. Fixing his papers into two piles for when he returned, Hitsugaya sighed; the stack that he had finished was considerably smaller than the amount that was left and just thinking about it caused the pounding in his head to increase. He roughly combed a hand through his snowy hair, inadvertently making it stick up in places.

Getting up from the desk, Hitsugaya tugged on his sandals and left the room, hoping a walk would ease some of his suffering and settle his mind for the long hours he no doubt had left of not only his own reports but also his lieutenant's. He followed the polished wooden paths that bordered the buildings, connecting some, until he came to the edge of the Seireitei. Outside lay the Rukon Districts where civilians enjoyed peaceful lives. Generally the closer the district to the Seireitei the wealthier and better off it was, thus the farther districts like the Twentieth were reduced to slums. It was a well-known fact among the general populace that the living standards in The Rukongai declined sharply beyond the Fiftieth District.

It had been a short stroll and Hitsugaya turned to go back to his work before deciding that the papers could wait. The day was hot and that meant he disliked the idea of going back to his office more than usual. The nearest gate into the Rukongai from his current location would deposit him into the Fourth Rukon District, which he deemed satisfactory enough, where he could continue his escape.

Exiting the Seireitei, he walked along the road, passing by several shops, when one restaurant in particular caught his eye. It was a small, rather plain tea shop with a handmade sign. A seemingly empty two-story building squished between two other shops, which made it look even shabbier. That was, in itself, odd; usually the shops in this distract were at least high middle class however this one had a more rundown appearance and homey quality to it. Like all the other buildings, the roof was made with terracotta tiles while the walls were a creamy white. The shop had two sliding doors made of woven bamboo in the front and a small overhang dividing the top floor from the bottom floor, the former being the smaller of the two. On either side of the doors were medium-sized windows with little wooden shutters. It was an altogether quaint shop nestled on the inner border of District Four. If the outside of the shop had been better maintained Hitsugaya supposed it would have been incredibly popular. As it was he was nearing the end of his self designated break time and at the sight of the shop allowed himself a cup of tea before heading back.

Walking through the door he was surprised to find a rather wide, spacious room. It seemed a more western styled restaurant with tall cushioned seats and high tables. Adverse to the outside, the inside of the building was tastefully decorated and clean. Looking on he observed the long rice paper partitions dividing the well lit room from another darker one behind it, both partitions extended from one side of the room to around a third of the way in, leaving a sizable gap between them. He walked closer to the back room, his curiosity piqued.

Passing through to the other room made it seemed like he had jumped worlds, and was almost disorienting in its contrariety. Hung from the ceiling were white paper lanterns, from which a soft glow emanated. In this part of the restaurant there was a total of five chabudai tables around each of which were two or three large cushions. The tables were set up traditionally but with some modern touches. A glass instead of a ceramic cup, forks and knives in lieu of chopsticks, and other similar oddities. It was a refreshing mix of new and old, pleasant in its simplicity.

Hitsugaya sat down at a table and waited for a server to come out of the back. He didn't have to wait long, as she did, he made eye contact with her letting her know that he wanted to order, not that it was difficult to notice him seeing as he was the only one there. She nodded in his direction and came quickly over to his table.

She was a petite woman with tumbling black hair and surprisingly blue eyes, dressed in a traditional kimono style top, that went to mid thigh, and a pair of hakama. An interesting combination he noted, just like the decor. The kimono, which would have been indecently short on its own, was a gentle green with small white and black flowers scattered diagonally across the whole garment, leaving only the right shoulder and the bottom left corner bare of flora. The hakama were contrastingly simple, unadorned, and black, similar to the standard Shinigami issued uniform but Hitsugaya knew they weren't because all shinigami lived in the seireitei as per the code.

"Welcome, I'm Kagome Higurashi and I will be serving you" she said, "What can I get you?" she added with a bright smile.

Hitsugaya skimmed the menu that had been on the table when he sat down,

"The Kitsune Udon please."

He wasn't particularly hungry but since he was there he might as well see if the food was any good.

"Of course, anything else?" she replied, her smile still blindingly bright.

"No, thank you" he answered politely. The exchange was short and concise as a conversation between a waitress and customer should be. Kagome nodded silently and left to get his order.

When she left, Hitsugaya returned to his earlier observation of the general layout of the place. He thought that it was rather skillfully done, offering everyone their own preference of style while they dined. It was unlike others he had been to, many of which either stayed traditional or had completely adopted a western style. This place seemed timeless, neither here nor there, a seamless mix of the two very different cultures.

Kagome came back with a rectangular tray in her hands, cups and a teapot on top of it. She put the tray down on the table, carefully placing the teapot on an iron trivet and setting one cup before him.

"I didn't order tea." Hitsugaya stated, eyes narrowing minutely at the girl, slightly suspicious of the steaming drink.

"I know but no one else is here and I thought you might enjoy one of the house specials," she answered, a smirk growing on her face, "this is a tea shop after all."

It was true that he was the only one in the shop at the moment but he still watched her like a hawk as she poured two cups and didn't relax until she had sipped from one of them. She seemed to know what he was looking for and catered to him, pouring the tea slightly slower making sure that her hands were visible the whole time, wordlessly showing the Captain that the tea was not poisoned. Hitsugaya calmly reached for his own cup making sure that his face was neutral and betraying nothing of his tiny lingering suspicion.

Hitsugaya's hyper aware gaze was brought to the soft smile now present on her lips and he froze immediately stopping the drink from going down his throat and unnoticeably spitting it back into his cup. Kagome drank once more from her own cup before announcing that she was going back to get his food.

Hitsugaya was silent as she left and pondered his thoughts. Officers had been assassinated before, though rarely, and he was always prepared for the off chance that it might happen to him. As he reviewed the facts, however, he was forced to conclude that the tea in front of him wasn't poisoned. There had been no chance for her to slip anything in that he had seen and being this close to the seireitei meant that an attempt of this nature would be not only foolish but suicidal since any fast acting poisons would have killed her when she drank it and any slow ones would be recognized by his own reitsu.

Once the thought of a potential assassination plot was out of the way it left Hitsugaya open to letting other thoughts filter through his mind. The light taste and subtle sweetness of the tea lingered on his tongue. It had tasted faintly like watermelon and he slightly regretted spitting it back out.

The tea was good, he grudgingly admitted. It was a nice enough place so why was it so empty? The service was good, if understaffed seeing as he did not witness any other worker in the small restaurant besides the girl. The fourth district was one of the safest parts of the Rukongai being so close to the Seireitei, so what was wrong with this place that no one dared enter?

Kagome came back with his udon, disrupting his train of thought as she set it on the table, steam rising lazily from the dish. She then left him alone once more, taking her tea cup with her. Hitsugaya wanted to know the answers to his questions but he had to get back to office. He sighed remembering the stack of paperwork waiting for him. Placing a generous tip on the table he exited the establishment, leaving his food untouched.

* * *

AN~ So here's the rebooted version as of 2019. Hopefully I've fixed it up enough. If there's any other discrepancies you see let me know! Thank you much!

MintyOrange

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Bleach


	2. What Does The Fox Say

Hitsugaya showed up two days after his first visit and again the day after that. Once more entering the small shop, he felt a small smile grow on his face despite the day's events. He picked a table in the back and sat down as he spotted Kagome pop out from inside the kitchen. He waited in amusement as she blinked, looking owlishly around until she saw him. She smiled brightly before darting back into the kitchen and emerging a minute or so later with a teapot in hand of his usual tea.

She set everything down and stood to the side as Hitsugaya drank his tea, shifting from foot to foot. Kagome seemed at a loss for words, wringing her hands and looking around the room while he drank in silence. He wasn't going to say anything to break the quiet, finding her uncomfortable expression entertaining. He was almost disappointed when she finally spoke.

"What's wrong?" She asked, tilting her head slightly like a confused bird. His eyes narrowed slightly at her question,

"Why would anything be wrong?" It was almost unnerving how she was able to deduce that he wasn't in his normally calm mood.  
"Well," she pointed out, "for one, your shoulders are tense and two: you're here again even though you were here yesterday"  
Hitsugaya was surprised by her attentiveness to such detail, it should have set him on edge but he'd had her name verified in the archives and she came out clean; she was registered as having arrived about forty years ago, her record was clear and she had never exhibited any power. At this point, Hitsugaya considered her harmless.

He was about to say something but was interrupted by loud crash sounding almost directly above him in what he presumed to the upstairs.

"What was that?" He asked.

Kagome smiled thinly, "What was what?"

He gave her a look that clearly asked 'are you serious?' as the sound of skittering steps seemed to echo through the empty shop. She was about to say something when a small fox burst into the room coming through a door in the back that had not been properly closed. It ran under the table bumping the low surface and spilling scalding tea everywhere, the liquid stopping just before the edge of the table and narrowly missing Hitsugaya.  
"Shippou!" Kagome hissed reprimanded the canine.

It had a russet toned coat with black socks and bright, intelligent, green eyes. The creature had the grace to look ashamed but Hitsugaya caught the look it shot his way as it curled itself around Kagome's feet. He almost chuckled at the fox's antics before coming to the realization that perhaps it hadn't been an accident.  
Kagome's face was flushed with embarrassment as she picked up the fox and left to grab some towels to clean up the mess. She returned without the animal and once she had finished cleaning she took the liberty to sit down across from him and pour herself the rest of the tea in a spare cup that had survived the mishap. He raised an eyebrow at her behavior but truly didn't mind.  
"So," she said after a small sip from her cup, "What's eating at you?"  
"A bit familiar aren't we now" Hitsugaya retorted not entirely sure he wanted to broach the topic.  
She blushed, flustered and fumbled with her words "Well...I..um. I just thought that..."  
He sighed heavily, letting her off the hook, "The Seireitei is a mess."  
This got her attention but he paid no mind as she was usually very attentive when talking with him. She looked pointedly at the fox that had once again slipped into the room and was now comfortably curled up in the corner, "I know how you feel".  
"Hmm," he sipped his newly dubbed Watermelon Tea, "Specifically the disappearance of an… outside source. Many people want him back"  
"Oh?" Her interest was peaked "What was he like?"  
Hitsugaya told the story to give Kagome background information, leaving out secret subjects and only giving her public knowledge, "...he was brash and undisciplined, breaks the rules and had no acknowledgment of the consequences." Toward the end, his opinion of the boy was evident in the slight irritation coloring his tone. Throughout his whole rant, Kagome listened, nodding to show she was still paying attention at appropriate times. When he finished she was silent for a moment, speechless, before commenting lamely, "What a guy."  
Hitsugaya grunted in agreement.  
"In my honest opinion," she started, hesitant, "I would ease up on him. He obviously doesn't know what's he's doing when it comes to etiquette but that's only because no one ever took the time to teach him. You can't just throw the rule book at him and expect him to do everything just right. Shinigami go through years of training and discipline before they graduate right? But it sounds like he never had that. Granted, his attitude might be there to stay but if someone actually took the time to explain things to him it would definitely help".

When she had first started, Hitsugaya was ready to tune her out thinking that she was just another person who thought he was being unreasonably cold toward a promising Shinigami but then she had given some sound reasonings and he was pleasantly surprised at the logic of her advice.

After that, Hitsugaya came more often to the shop to relax and talk with Kagome. She was a good listener for the Tenth Captain and tolerated his sometimes gruff attitude with a saint-like patience. Kagome also found herself at ease in the presence of Toshiro Hitsugaya. He was logical, with a solution to almost any problem she brought up, not that she brought up many but nevertheless, she found his advice invaluable. The Captain became her first regular and she began reserving a table for him to sit at however it was only a matter of time until he brought up the lack of patrons in the shop.  
"Kagome,"  
"Hm?" She looked up from the crossword she was doing across the table from him.  
"Why do I never see any other people here?" He asked, slightly offended on her behalf that no one came into the, in his opinion, first-rate tea house.  
"Hey, Toshiro, what's a diplomats headquarters?" She asked, brow creased and gnawing on her pencil, "Seven letters." she added.  
Hitsugaya cringed "Don't bite your pencil and you're avoiding the question."  
Kagome did as he asked, setting the chewed pencil down. She sighed, glancing at him before finding the tabletop incredibly interesting.

"I don't know why I get so few customers but I think it has to do with the rumor that surrounds this place. The locals think a monster lives here because back when Shippou was young he would be very vocal and he went through his teething phase so hearing and seeing that without knowing it was him made people think that a Konoka-Jiji lived here."  
Toshiro scoffed "Foolish, they should know better"  
Kagome met his gaze with a warm smile "I don't mind"  
"Embassy," he said, suddenly changing the subject.  
"Huh?" She looked at him, confused.  
"The answer to your crossword, it's Embassy."  
"Oh! Thanks, Toshiro!" She exclaimed writing the word down  
"Hey Toshiro," she began, as she began many of her questions, "When's your next mission?"  
He took a sip of his tea, not particularly wanting to think about it, "Tomorrow morning."  
"Oh, let me know how it goes ok?"  
Before he could answer a black butterfly flew in and alighted on his shoulder transferring its message to the Captain. He stood up suddenly, grabbing his Zanpakuto from the floor, and began to leave. He paused as he was going out the door to look back at his friend still sitting at the table staring at him in slight alarm,

"Change of plans... I'll let you know how it goes"

He returned briefly that day to let her see he was okay from his mission, before leaving once more to see to the mountain of paperwork that his Lieutenant, Matsumoto, had kindly left for him.

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Bleach; all rights go to their respective owners


	3. Friends

Months later Toshiro could still be seen at Kagome's tea shop. It became regular to see the Tenth Squad Captain walking the streets in the Fourth Rukon District and he had made a habit of visiting once every other week, sometimes more, to relax and calm his mind. Kagome's place had become a haven and surprisingly good hiding spot for him to escape his Lieutenant.

More people began to trickle into Kagome's shop thinking that with Hitsugaya being there it made it safe for them to be there too. Slowly but surely the rumour of a demon residing in the small shop faded away, forgotten from the minds of the people. The tea shop got busier and although Kagome tried to keep a table open for Toshiro, with the amount of customers she had now, it became difficult. She felt that, as one of her first friends and customers he should always have a place in her café so she set up a small table in the kitchen for him.

It was one of her more hectic days when Toshiro came into her shop. Though it would have been hard for any random passerby to notice, his normal aloof stance was tense and exhausted as he walked in. Kagome had been weaving through the occupied tables, seeing if anyone needed anything, but stopped halfway through her quarry when she spotted him in the corner of her eye. When her gaze alighted on the Captain she redirected her course immediately and walked directly up to him.

She came over without her usual hustle and bustle and had there not been other patrons there Hitsugaya was sure she would have been stomping, waist length ebony hair practically fanning out menacingly.

"Where have you been for the past four weeks?" Kagome asked visibly struggling to keep her voice level. She put her hands on her hips as she waited for his answer, an angry frown already on her lips.

Hitsugaya smirked unashamed "Am I still welcome?" Kagome huffed, knowing full well that he was avoiding her question, but let it slide anyway.

"Come on. I've got a table but it's in the kitchen, I hope you don't mind"  
"Not at all"

Now she knew something was off. Hitsugaya was silent as they weaved between tables not making any attempt at the usual playful banter as she lead him to the back of the shop. Passing through the single door of the kitchen she sat him down at a western style table in a high, rough-hewn, wooden chair.

"I'll be right back." She told him and left him there while she looked for one of the people she'd hired to help with the shop. She spotted the girl cleaning one of the newly vacated tables. Coming up behind her, Kagome tapped her slender shoulder to get her attention. The girl was taller than Kagome with chocolate hair, tied low, and mocha eyes. Dressed in a similar outfit to her employer her pants were black but her kimono was pink with large, clean cut, sections of maroon.

"Sango," Kagome called out to the girl, "I've got a friend that just came in, haven't seen them in a long time, do you think you can handle the tables for a little while?"  
Sango turned around, cleaning rag in hand, and smiled, "Sure thing Kags. I got this." she raised her arm and flexed to emphasize her competence. Sango truly was a lifesaver. Kagome remembered when she had first met her. Sango had been looking for a place to stay in the Fourth District, a little after Kagome had first met Hitsugaya, and Kagome was looking for help paying the rent. The two became fast friends and somewhat joint owners of the tea shop.  
"Thank you so much!" Kagome almost gave the girl a hug but stopped at the last minute because Sango had a tall pile of dishes in her other hand and Kagome was a devout believer in Murphy's law.

She strode back to the kitchen happy to be able to play a catch up with her favorite Captain. Putting some tea in a spare kettle, she made her way over to Hitsugaya, plopping herself directly across from him on a rickety bar stool,

"So," Kagome probed, rocking back and forth on her stool, "where were you for the past four weeks?"  
Toshiro sighed. He was about to confess when the kitchen door opened and a rather large busted woman came in. She had orange-blonde hair and was dressed in black shinigami robes, a pink scarf around her shoulders.

"Captain! A kind waitress told me you'd be here, I dropped off more paperwork from the mission at your desk, I'm taking the day..." she then realized she had interrupted something "...off"  
"Matsumot-" he began.

"Toshiro Hitsugaya!" Kagome interrupted, standing from her seat. "Do you know how worried I was?! No letter, no warning, just gone! I even approached one of the lieutenants but they said they didn't know where you were!"

She turned to the poor woman standing in the kitchen doorway,

"When did he even get back?" She demanded in a voice that reminded Matsumoto of an angry mother. Matsumoto twiddled her thumbs, a little nervous to be suddenly involved in the argument

"Well, ah... let's see," It finally registered what kind of a position she was in. Her eyes gleamed wickedly and Hitsugaya noticed, paling a shade, "Oh about five days ago. It was quite a mess, he got slashed on his arm pretty bad which I'm sure you know isn't a common thing, but don't worry he got fixed up."  
Kagome was fuming as she rounded on the Tenth Captain, "I can't believe you!"  
Matsumoto wisely slid out of the kitchen and away from the other two, hearing Kagome reprimand the Tenth Captain for being "reckless" and "not stopping by sooner" as she left. Matsumoto shook her head, her poor Captain, even she wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of that woman's ire, though the Lieutenant was glad the Captain had a friend.

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Bleach; all rights go to their respective owners


	4. In the Moonlight

The moon was already past its highest point in the sky, traveling down towards the horizon when Kagome heard someone knocking on her doors. She slept on the second floor in a room at the end of a long hall so when she was forced to get up from her wonderfully warm bed, accidentally pushing Shippou off the end of it, she silently cursed whoever was there. Shippou barked at her, annoyed, before jumping back onto the bed to resettle himself and go back to sleep. With each step Kagome took her irritation grew until she reached the door, ready to give the person on the other side a piece of her mind. Kagome in a cream-colored sleeping yukata, her hair in a thick braid with a baby pink blanket draped around her, yanked open the traditional style sliding door with a growl,

"Who in their right mind, at this ungodly hour, would…" her voice faltered and she began to resemble a large koi fish. Before her stood her snowy haired friend looking most uncomfortable.

"Could I," Hitsugaya cleared his throat, "That is to say, would you allow me to stay here for the night?"

His face remained passive and confident but his eyes flickered to the right for a split second, betraying him to Kagome, who considered herself fluent in Toshiro-ese. She nodded, curious as to what had happened, as she stepped aside to let him enter. Automatically Hitsugaya found his way to his usual table and plopped soundlessly onto a cushion. Seeing the icy Captain actually 'plop' onto his cushion got Kagome's attention. Clearly, it was code red situation and called for a strong brew of tea.

Kagome left and came back from the kitchens, teapot in one hand and a mug in the other. She placed both things on the table, letting Toshiro pour for himself as she sat down across from him.

She rested her chin on her hands, elbows on the table,

"So Shiro-chan, why are you _here_?" _of all places_ she thought, "and especially after hours?"

She purposely called him "Shiro-chan", knowing that it bothered him from one of their many discussions, but he woke her up she reasoned, he deserved it. Toshiro sighed and gracelessly let his head thud onto the table. Kagome winced.

"Matsumoto is most definitely at my house lying in wait to ambush me. She won't stop pestering me about a pay raise even though I've told her no, going so far as to ambush me at every turn."  
Kagome almost laughed "And?"  
"And I needed to stay somewhere for the night. She wouldn't think that I would have disturbed you at this hour." Hitsugaya sighed again letting Kagome know just how tired he really was.  
"Normally she would be right, you know" she pointed out  
"I know but-"  
"But this is an exception" Kagome finished, completely understanding the Captain.  
"Yes"  
"There's an empty room upstairs at the end of the hall." She offered to him.  
He nodded silently, finished his tea, and the two of them made their way up the creaking wooden stairs that were usually hidden by the door in the back of the room. Before Toshiro closed the door to his room, as Kagome was also doing, he spoke up, "Thanks Kagome"  
She laughed a little, "You're welcome" before closing her door and getting ready for bed.

She had finally been deeply and contently asleep when she was awoken again, this time by Shippou pawing at her face. Now semi-awake, she could hear things crashing into each other and the groans of collapsing buildings, all of it sounding too close for comfort in her opinion. She sat up in bed, rubbing her eyes and prepared to go outside to see what was causing such a ruckus.

At that moment, however, Toshiro slammed open her door, effectively shattering her train of thought and startling her into sharp awareness.  
"Hollow," he yelled in between the roars "stay here."  
She nodded seriously and waited until he had left before running over to her closet.  
"Bullshit I'm staying here" she grumbled.  
She threw open the closet door, diving through the mess of clothes until her fingers reached the smooth, familiar surface of a sword sheath. Grinning in success she withdrew from her closet with a beautiful Zanpakuto gripped in her small hand. Its sheath was a dark polished ebony wood; it was unadorned except for a carving of a small fox landing daintily from a jump, one paw on the ground before the rest. The hilt was a bright grey, that seemed to almost shine, wrapped in a dark navy blue. The guard, like the sheath, was dark, simple and unembellished.  
"Shippou!" She called, waiting for the fox to appear at her side, "Let's go".  
The pair rushed out of the shop, Kagome still in her sleeping attire with Shippou riding on her shoulders, as she flash stepped to the source of the commotion.  
When she arrived, Kagome surveyed the situation. It didn't look good. In front of her were five Adjuchas, all massive and ugly and having a grand old time swatting at the Shinigami at the scene. She saw Toshiro taking on three of them, barely managing to keep them at bay and another Shinigami taking on the other two. His deep red hair caught her attention for a second before her gaze flickered to the "lieutenant" badge on his arm. Looking back at the main problem, Kagome noted how odd it was that even one Adjucha was in the Rukongai, let alone five. They usually traveled alone.  
 _This is dangerous_  
Kagome saw several Shinigami on the ground each with varying degrees of injuries, some pinned under the rubble.  
 _'Let's not stand around'_ her Zanpakuto whispered in her mind.  
' _Mm,'_ she projected through the bond grimly.

She rushed to the nearest Shinigami, clutching her sword tightly, Shippou running at her heels. Still standing, Kagome scanned the woman with a practiced eye. She had a broken arm and some scratches but Kagome deemed that she could wait a little, her wounds not nearly as bad as the others she had glimpsed when she first glanced at the fallen soldiers. She looked once more at all the Shinigami in the area before finally spotting the worst one. He was hidden in the rubble of a crumbling home, half his leg caught underneath a thick wooden beam. He was conscious but silent so as to not draw the hollow's attention. Kagome ran to him and began to heave the beam off him, causing what was left of the building to groan and tremble.

When Kagome finally got it off, the Shinigami crawled a small distance away, jaws tight with pain. She went to let the beam down slowly but a massive claw swept toward her, causing her to let it crash to the ground as she crouched to avoid the attack. She unsheathed her sword and blocked another swipe at the last minute. Fortunately, neither she nor her patient was hurt but it did alert her presence to the two Shinigami still fighting. Hitsugaya saw her and maneuvered towards Kagome who was still struggling to block the attacks from her Adjucha. He swiftly distracted it, releasing her to tend to the soldier, bringing the large hollow's attention back to him as he drew it away.

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Bleach; all rights go to their respective owners


	5. Seeing Red

Knowing her cover was blown Kagome gave up her stealth and shouted at Hitsugaya and the unnamed Lieutenant,

"If you could make sure that doesn't happen again I would appreciate it!"

She really couldn't afford to waste time. People needed help and by the Gods she was going to give it to them.  
"What are you even doing!?" The Tenth Captain shouted back, hacking and slashing at the Hollows around him "Get out of here!"  
"Not a chance" she retorted under her breath as she slung the man's arm around her shoulder and led him further from the fight. She laid him down on the street and analyzed the extent of the damage. His clothing was torn and bloody, though it was hard to tell from far away with the black of the uniform. His pulse was strong if erratic and seemed fine for know but his right leg and chest were the problem. It was a literal bloody mess, the flow stemming from multiple slashes and claw marks. The chest was torn to shreds, a rib bone even being visible of the one side while the leg had been broken and lay at an angle, pierced through the thigh by a large splintered piece of wood. Kagome sat down, cross-legged, and got ready to heal when Shippou padded up to her and sat beside her, the image of calm and serene.  
 _'Be careful, there are many others that also need healing'_ her Zanpakuto told her.  
She nodded and got to work, changing her course of action.

Instead of a power burst of healing energy to completely heal the man she would need to concentrate on only the worst of the damage. She wordlessly pressed one hand on the top and one to the side of his chest and then began the healing process. Her hands glowed a soft light pink, mending the body beneath her palms inch by inch. Kagome was forced to leave many of the more shallow wounds on his chest as they were, in hopes of conserving her energy. Next, she began to work on the leg. Looking the nameless Shinigami in the eye she spoke as soft as possible but still loud enough to be heard over the din,

"Don't scream"

He nodded at her words and closed his eyes tightly in anticipation.

Quick as she could Kagome set the broken leg straight. Leveling her hands above the mangled limb she sent her reiatsu out in calm, controlled waves, giving off a soft pink shine once again. Ever so slowly the bones melded back together under reconnecting tendons, ligaments, and muscle as the skin knitted itself together on top of it all. Kagome was close to being done when she felt a breeze blowing her loose hair into her face. Her peripheral view told her that the red-haired Lieutenant had protected them from another killing blow.

Finally, she pulled back her power and all that was left of the leg wound was a long scratch. It still bled freely, dripping thickly to the ground, but it was no longer a threat to the man's life. She had to leave everything else as it was. Stumbling a little, they both rose from the ground,

"Can you run?" Kagome asked the man noting the pained expression he wore.  
"I think so"  
"Good, then lead the reinforcements here" she ordered him in what she hoped was a commanding tone. Goodness knows how terrible she was at 'commanding' people.  
"Yes ma'am" he nodded, before limping quickly away from the battle.  
Kagome wasted no time going to the others, most were simply knocked unconscious with cuts and scrapes but it was the few exceptions to that description that worried her. They had large slashes on the abdomen, or the arms and one even had a gash across the chest which was dangerously close to the heart and neck. She knew she couldn't get to them all in time that was for sure. Even for a Shinigami, the blood loss had to be near fatal at this point. Kagome's mind raced and her hands started to shake as she stood in the middle of the carnage.

' _I can't- I can't save them'_ images of another battle flashed through her mind, nameless and faceless people bleeding out on the ground in front of her while she did nothing to help.

' _-ome!Kagome!'_ the voice of her Zanpakuto finally reached her, shaking her out of her memories, ' _You can do this'_

Kagome looked down at Shippou still standing beside her and nodded grimly. The commotion in her thoughts subsided, a new idea came to her mind; a dangerous one. She ran to each Shinigami and dragged them all to one area. She piled their hands together and set her own on top.  
 _'This isn't what I had in mind...Are you sure-_ ' the voice in her mind started.  
' _They'll die if I don't! You know it would take too long to heal them all one by one_ ' She shot back.  
No longer up to debate the issue Kagome gathered all the reiatsu she had left to give and sent it all to the people around her in a massive burst, sending a flash of pink into the night like a beacon. She could feel herself falling over even as she desperately tried to stay conscious. Her eyes were closing and everything started spinning, swirling and heaving, making her feel sick.

 _This was a terrible idea_ she thought

Kagome caught a glimpse of red before her view was obscured by Shippou's bushy tail in her face as he snarled viciously at something in front of her.

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Bleach; all rights go to their respective owners


	6. Brother

Kagome woke up to an incessant prodding at her side and something wet on her cheek. She could feel slight padding beneath her and a scratchy blanket on top of her as she slowly came into consciousness. Opening her still heavy eyes, she came face to face with the russet-furred muzzle belonging to Shippou, his nose being the wet thing she had felt on her cheek. Kagome groaned and closed her eyes, distinctly feeling the stress she had done to herself with her latest stunt. The poking in her side stopped and instead of a fox Kagome now opened her eyes to the face of a little girl. The girl couldn't have been more than six with bubblegum pink hair and a childlike gleam in her brown eyes. It took Kagome a moment for her half-awake brain to recognize who it was.  
When she did Kagome bolted upright in her cot.  
"You!"  
The little girl smiled happily, even giggled, at being recognized before hugging Kagome tightly around her midsection.  
"You're finally awake 'Gome!"  
Kagome petted the girl's head distractedly and finally got a look at where she was. Honestly, it didn't surprise her at all. She was on a plain white cot inside a dark holding cell. The walls were made of a grey stone except for the one wall that led out into a dimly lit hallway, which was instead made of black metal bars. Kagome knew that the whole cell was reinforced against reiatsu, she could feel it, and she didn't like it. It felt like a heavy towel had been placed over her head, muffling her senses. There was no furniture besides the cot she sat on and a single wooden stool tucked away in a corner. The lack of decor didn't bother her but the lack of her sword did. Kagome looked down at the little girl still in her arms,  
"Hey, sweetie?"  
"Mm"  
"Do you know where they took my sword?"  
The girl nodded vigorously, her pink hair bouncing as she turned and pointed past the black bars toward a figure leaning against the wall just beyond them.  
"Kenny took it for safekeeping"

Kagome felt her eye twitch at the word "safekeeping", _Safekeeping my ass._  
She finally took notice of 'Kenny'. It took a couple of seconds to see through the dim lighting but when she did she smiled. Her smile was genuine and warm as she regarded the man fondly. It had been years and she had missed him.  
"Hey" she called out softly.  
He was tall and imposing with spiked black hair ending in tiny bells and a black eyepatch covering one eye. His face was blank of any emotion and had she been any other, Kagome would have been unsettled.  
"What have you done girl?" he spoke gruffly with a narrowed eye and even though Kagome couldn't hear it she knew he didn't hate her or even dislike her. They had been through too much.  
She lifted the girl off her bed and onto the floor, pulling the sheets back as she slowly tried to stand. Her vision flickered for a moment but it cleared up as she found her balance. Kagome approached the closed door of the cell to get a better look at the Eleventh Captain. He was definitely taller than last she saw him she noted. She smiled, he seemed to be doing well for himself. She was still in her sleeping yukata but Kagome noticed she also had an outer haori on and she knew for a fact it wasn't hers.  
"Who's is this?" she asked, completely disregarding the previous question, gesturing at the garment.  
"Don't know" was the curt response.  
It was a white Captain's robe she observed. She knew it wasn't Hitsugaya's because the sleeves of it had been cut off, or more like ripped off, and Toshiro's was pristine and whole. She snorted, she wouldn't be surprised if the Tenth Captain ironed his robes every morning before going to work.

Shippou came around to her and sniffed the fabric delicately before turning toward the man almost as if he was pointing.  
' _It's his_ ' a familiar voice informed her  
"So, so...so…" Kagome mumbled. It had been so long since she last saw the man she considered her brother that it was hard to think of what to say. She took a moment to think of what she wanted to say "So you're a Captain?"

He nodded slowly, bells jingling faintly, not phased by the fox's seeming high level of intelligence.

Kagome almost burst from pride, she always knew he was a skilled fighter. More questions flooded into her mind as she quickly shrugged off the white robe, turning it over in her hands. There, written on the fabric boldly was the kanji for eleven. Kagome paused. One blink, two blinks,  
"You're Kenpachi…" she mumbled. She was sure the shock of the recent events was catching up to her. Normally she would have shouted her realization to the world but all she could do was numbly state the obvious. After all these years...

"Who's Lieutenant?" Kagome suddenly blurted out looking up at Kenpachi for answers.

Instead, she felt a tug on her pants that brought her attention to the smiling girl next to her,

"Yachiru 'Gome, Yachiru is Kenny's lieutenant!"

"The correct term is _I am_ , Yachiru, don't use the third person" Kagome absentmindedly corrected. She looked between the two Shinigami while Shippou curled up on the floor to nap,

"When did this happen?"

Yachiru started to count on her fingers before she found that she didn't have enough of the appendages to properly count. She threw her hands in the air, giving up,

"It was a really long time ago!"

Kagome glanced up from the little girl, a little hurt, to look towards Kenpachi. _Why didn't you look for me?_ Said male held her gaze before calling to Yachiru that it was time to leave. Together the two from Squad Eleven walked away, leaving Kagome to stare woodenly into space, her thoughts whirling around in her mind.

After the two Shinigami left, and Kagome got over the shock, she started to pace.  
back and forth across the floor of her tiny cell. Shippou padded quietly behind her, amused by her habit. Kagome abruptly stopped pacing, only to sit on her cot with a huff and place her head in her hands.  
' _What am I going to do? I'm in a cell, my reiatsu is suppressed and by now they must know who I am_.'  
Ever the voice of calm, her sword answered her ' _Calm yourself, it will be fine. Besides, you have two Captains on your side_ '  
' _Yeah but what if-_ '  
' _Nothing will happen_ ' he told her his tone confident. She needed reassurance and he would give her that, even if he didn't believe in it himself.  
Kagome took a deep breath, and on the exhale, loosened her death grip on the thin cotton sheets. She knew she was panicking and that she needed to rest and recenter herself.  
' _Rest, you have been awake for almost two straight days_ ' she heard her own thoughts echoed back to her by her Zanpakuto.  
Kagome nodded in agreement yawning and curling up on the stiff mattress. Willingly succumbing to sleep's embrace.

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Bleach; all rights go to their respective owners


	7. Secrets

When Kagome next woke it was Toshiro who came to visit her. Unlike the previous times she had seen him, his posture was stiff and his expression was blank. He was in full Captain mode, the picture of cold and uncaring, and it scared her. He took out the keys to the cell and unlocked it, swinging open the door with a little more force than necessary making it bang loudly against the next cell over and causing Kagome to flinch. She had already been up and pacing before he came so when Hitsugaya opened the door she was already walking out toward him. Kagome stopped directly in front of the Captain and stared down at what had become her best friend. Toshiro looked at her with something in his eyes that she couldn't quite pin down but if she had to guess she'd say it was a mix of worry and anger. Wordlessly he turned and made his way down the corridor. Kagome followed, of course, and Shippou tried to follow too but Hitsugaya made it clear that the fox was not allowed to accompany them.

Hitsugaya led Kagome down the corridor until they were almost out of the prison but Kagome's hopes were dashed when they made a turn she hadn't seen and went down an arduously long flight of stairs. They finally came to a large stone door and Hitsugaya motioned for Kagome to go inside first. The moment her hand touched the cool rock she knew it wasn't ordinary stone. Her powers moved to her fingertips and seemed to pool into the handle of the door. Nevertheless, Kagome gripped it firmly and pulled the door open with a yank that took quite a bit of her strength. As quick as possible she withdrew her now slightly sweaty palm from the stone surface.

The entire room was made of the same material as the door, which made her extremely uncomfortable and was barren except for a low wooden table and a black cushion. Kagome had an inkling that the cushion wasn't for her so she sat on the opposite end of the table. Hitsugaya followed behind her, grim-faced as he sat down. He sighed slightly and stared Kagome straight in the eyes as if daring her to squirm. Normally she would have but this situation was different.

"Name?"

"Kagome Higurashi"

"Soul Number?"

"73106"

Her response surprised him though he gave no outward inclination. When a soul appears in the soul society they are given a soul number, an id, that is unique to them. The first two numbers indicate the district the soul is assigned to and the others indicate the time of their arrival in relation to others of the same district. Once again Hitsugaya realized how much he really knew about Kagome Higurashi.

"There is a 73106 in the Academy records but not under the name Kagome Higurashi" he stated and in the back of his mind, realized how hard it was going to be to defend her case if her credentials didn't even match up.

She almost growled in frustration at his frigidness but answered the unasked question anyway, "My name was misspelled on the entry form and I never saw to correct it until after I had graduated. You will probably find my school records under the name Kiname Higurashi."

"You say you corrected it but there are no records of a Shinigami under the name Kagome Higurashi"

"That's impossible I gave my forms to the Captain…"

She swore.

"Look, I'm not lying"

"I believe you" Hitsugaya responded tersely, drawing a surprised look from Kagome, "Captain?" he continued.

"It's in my file" was Kagome's stubborn reply. She never wanted to say that man's name again and nothing could make her do so. He had violated her soul, branded her like an animal and now that he was gone she thought would never have to think about him ever again.  
"Who. was. your. Captain" Hitsugaya enunciated every word as if she were a child and to be honest he almost felt that she was acting as one. It was becoming increasingly hard to control his emotions around her and he didn't like it. He could feel the bitterness rising up in him. It was standard procedure, even she had to know that; giving your name, Soul Number and squad Captain, to make sure all discrepancies were dealt with. It shouldn't be this difficult.

Kagome's hand were shaking under the table and her mind was scrambled, threatening to take her under, to drown her, and relive the past. Why couldn't he see? Ask her anything else she screamed in her mind. The icy blue stare directed at her didn't hold compassion or understanding, only anger, and distrust. She knew he couldn't continue without this information to match up with the information on record. She wanted to lie, god she wanted to lie so bad but this room, something about it made her want to puke at the thought. It took her another five minutes of silence to draw up her courage

"Aizen, my Captain was Sosuke A-Aizen" those words seemed to break her and she slumped further in her sitting position, finally earning a semi-concerned look from Toshiro before the icy mask on indifference was back.  
"Why did you leave?"

"I-" she clamped her mouth shut, eyes wide.

"You cannot lie here, Kagome, I'm surprised you even managed to stay silent."

Her eyes darted around the room dawning in realization. It all came rushing to her; the door, the power drain, the truth waiting to spill from her lips. This room, the whole room, was made of Piedra de Verdad or Soul Stone. Only found in Hueco Mundo it absorbs spiritual power and makes it impossible to lie.

Anger. Kagome could feel it welling up inside her like a tidal wave and who was she to stop it, "You must think I'm pathetic," she hissed, "A stupid, runaway deserter who's stuck back at the beginning. Do you think I want to be here? In this room, in my cell, Gods, I was afraid to be in my own house for the longest time! I-"

Kagome could feel her lips part against her will words on her tongue, ready to tell every detail. She bit her tongue, hard, letting the copper taste fill her mouth. The pain brought her back within her own control, barely, she doubted it would work a second time. She glared harshly at the person who had at one time been her best and only friend.

She laughed harshly, "I guess the stone really does work"

"Kagome" Toshiro tried to speak but Kagome looked away as if it was painful to look him in the eyes.

"No. Don't. Please continue with this little interrogation; I don't want to be here longer than I have to."

He winced inwardly at her words before doing as she requested, there were still some things he needed to sort out.

"Why did you leave" Hitsugaya repeated the question.

The words tumbled out of Kagome's lips,

"I didn't leave because I wanted to. Being a Shinigami was important to me, I _wanted_ to come back." Even to herself, she sounded a little desperate.

Kagome took a deep breath, craning her neck to stare at the ceiling before looking back at him. She seeming to choke on her words before finally getting them out

"I knew too many secrets"

She had to keep a tight reign on herself, only allowing vague truths to escape.  
Hitsugaya blinked. He had expected an answer along these lines but it was too vague,

"Who's secrets" he pushed.

"Aizen's. He-" Kagome could feel the seal start to activate, a familiar burning on her tongue, "He wanted to keep me quiet."

"Why did you run, why not tell another Captain?"

Kagome looked at him incredulously, "You think I could just go up to another Captain and say 'hey by the way my Captain is kinda evil and threatened me to keep quiet but I can't really tell you anything specific because-"

She almost said it: _because he sealed me._ Because he took a piece of her soul and turned it against her. Because he branded her so that she couldn't tell anybody even if she wanted to.

"Because?" he prompted.

Hitsugaya needed to know how much information she was going to be able to give. He knew something was preventing her from telling the whole of it. He could also imagine the kinds of things Aizen had hidden away while he was Captain, things Kagome supposedly knew.

"Because he sealed it away" came her small answer. She clapped her hands over her mouth eyes wide and tears spring to the surface.

Toshiro was beyond angry, he knew Aizen had modified souls but this made it personal. He hoped Aizen burned in the eighth layer.

"We're almost done here, why did you reveal yourself that night? You could have stayed in your house" _you could have stayed protected_ he thought

Kagome looked personally affronted "I couldn't just leave those people out there to die! There were five Adjuchas Toshiro, five! Even if they were Shinigami those kinds of wounds were fatal!" she huffed, "It was the right thing to do."

He sighed. They were done. Aizen resided in the final layer of prison underneath the First Division Barracks and would be staying there for twenty thousand years and as much as Hitsugaya wanted to punish him further, he couldn't. A voice whispered in the back of his head that they weren't done with Aizen yet but he ignored the feeling for now.

"I have to read you your crimes"

She nodded her understanding.

"Absence without leave, reckless endangerment, resistance to arrest, and…" he paused, eyes widening "the suspected murder of Kikyou Shinai."

 _Suspected… Murder?_

He took a moment to close his eyes before he regarded her as she sat silently with a blank countenance, "God, Kagome, do you have any idea what kind of situation you're in?"

She didn't respond. Everything seemed as if it was underwater. She could hear Toshiro's words but she didn't _hear_ him. The erratic beating of her heart sent blood rushing through her head.

 _Murder_

"I didn't… I didn't hurt her. I would never…"

Hitsugaya narrowed his eyes at her "There is evidence that says otherwise" he was telling the truth when he said that. Kiyou had been found in her room stabbed through the heart and badly burned. The burns matched with the kind of Zanpakuto Kagome uses but there were other flames users. There hadn't been any other evidence except for the testimony of the Fifth Captain at that time Sosuke Aizen which is why the charge was "suspected murder" but Hitsugaya didn't know that. He only saw the charges written on her file and any other information that had been placed there.

She looked at him sharply, focusing on his face for the first time, "How. dare. you. How dare you!" she seethed before she raised her voice, "I DIDN'T kill her!"

"Kagome-"

"I DID NOT MURDER MY SISTER!" Kagome faced him angrily "I DIDN'T- I didn't even know she was dead"

* * *

AN~

Phew! That was dramatic! I know the conversation is a little rushed but it's the best I can do at the moment. Let me know how you like the story!

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Bleach; all rights go to their respective owners


	8. Don't Dwell

"Kagome..." Hitsugaya didn't really know what he was going to say anymore.

"I'm fine," She cut him off quietly.

Toshiro stood from the cushion and moved to the door giving Kagome a worried glance before exiting, leaving Kagome still kneeling in the cold room. Eventually, the strain on her reiatsu and the stress from the previous conversation lulled her into a fitful, exhausted sleep, one that was interrupted a little while later by someone opening the door to the room.

"I'm here to take you back to your cell," a tall figure told Kagome, looking down at her as she slept on the bare floor. Kagome cracked open a sleepy eyelid to see who exactly was talking to her. Red hair, sharp eyes, definitely a male figure, she concluded that this was the Lieutenant who had been with Hitsugaya fighting the Adjuchas.

Kagome answered his question with a glare before turning away from him on the floor. She could feel the drain on her energy and the alluring lull of sleep, tempting her with the promise of escape from her living nightmare. At this point, she didn't mind if she died from reiatsu depletion. While the intrusive thought scared her, Kagome found herself caring less and less as her vision started to flicker

The man sighed and ran a hand through his hair looking back at the girl on the floor. Hitsugaya had told him to be patient with her but really, this was ridiculously obstinate. He considered the amount of time she had spent in this particular cell and had to hand it to her for even being semi-conscious. He sighed again and as he bent down to pick the girl up he noticed she had fallen unconscious. Once Kagome was securely in his arms he began the trek back to her original cell.

Kagome was first aware of her breathing, the steady rise, and fall of her chest, the sound of air being inhaled and exhaled softly. She strained to hear what was around her only to be welcomed with silence. It was not the steady beat of nature that she had expected but a raw silence, interrupted only by her echoing breaths. Kagome opened her eyes to a shaded forest, soft moss covered ground populated by looming trees, the canopy above her so thick that hardly any light shone through to dapple the soil. It was both offsetting and familiar.

Kagome stepped forward hesitantly before freezing all together at a rustle in the bushes. The sound of it making her flinch. Nothing else stirred for several moments but just as she began to take another step an oddly familiar fox darted out in front of her. It was odd in that she knew she had never seen this animal before but in the back of her mind, she also knew that she had. The amber fur covering the fox blended into black socks and a cream tipped tail. Originating from his paws, blue flames spread and danced along his figure. Jumping from the tips of his ears to flickering around his tail, the fire didn't singe his fur at all lending to the overall mystical aura that exuded from the animal.

'You don't want to go that way' a voice rumbled, seeming to resonate both inside her head and out loud.

"Ok… where to then?"

'Follow me'

The next time Kagome woke up Shippou was pawing at her face and a harsh light was coming from the lights on the ceiling. She grumbled and sat up effectively also shoving the fox off the bed and onto the floor. Shippou let out an indignant yip before strutting towards the open door.  
 _Wait a minute..._  
Kagome jumped when she realized the door was open and someone was waiting for her to get up. She remembered him vaguely. He had fought the hollows with Hitsugaya when she had been healing the other men and… _and…_ she remembered seeing him in the doorway of the interrogation room. _No way... He carried me back?!_ His red hair was pulled up into a high, spiky ponytail and tattoos sprawled from his eyebrows in sharp triangles. He cleared his throat to get her attention.

Once Kagome was looking at him he spoke, "I'm here to take you to Captain Zaraki".

Kagome got out of bed and walked toward the door slowly. While her rest had allowed her emotions to calm somewhat she still felt unsettled with the death of someone she considered family. Kagome pushed the thought out of her mind as words echoed back to her from a conversation she didn't remember: ' _Dwelling will do you no good'._

She pulled herself from her thoughts and gazed expectantly at the red-haired Lieutenant,

"Lead the way," she said dryly.

The two, three including Shippou, walked in silence through a maze of turns and corridors making Kagome absolutely and frustratingly lost, unable to take it anymore, she broke the silence, "So, what's your name? I didn't catch it."

He didn't even look at her, keeping his eyes firmly focused ahead of them,

"I didn't give it"

"Typical," she mumbled under her breath

"What did you say?" the Lieutenant turned to face her, voice clearly betraying his agitation, and Kagome fought the urge to smirk at the small victory while they continued to walk.

"Hm? Nothing" she batted her eyes at him, looking the picture of innocence, "I was just wondering what your name was that's all. Just trying to be polite and make civilized conversation"

The redhead grumbled out an unintelligible noise at her excuse but Kagome wasn't done needling him yet, it was too fun.

"Guess that must be hard for you" she uttered under her breath being careful to make it just loud enough for him to hear.

Kagome could practically see the veins popping out of his skull, to her great amusement.

"Listen here you!-"

"My name's Kagome, not 'you'" she even put air quotes around 'you', "and since you know my name, it's only fair that I know yours" Like a predator, she could smell his annoyance but unfortunately for her, their time was done as they approached the end of the hallway. The Lieutenant smiled, relieved that he would get to leave the girl in the hands of Kenpachi Zaraki. His grin turned almost evil, he couldn't wait to bring her back to the cell once the Captain was through with her, he was sure she wouldn't be so cheeky then. The door at the end of the corridor was in sight and he had never been so happy to see a door in his life. The exit opened, beaming in holy light, before revealing Captain Komamura.

"Ah, thank you Renji, I can take it from here"

The light shattered.

Kagome snickered beside him, "Yes, thank you _Renji._ I enjoyed our trip. Visit me again!" She waved as she walked toward the Seventh Captain and out of Renji's sight leaving the poor man alone.

 _What did I do to deserve this?_

* * *

AN~

Hey so here's the second half of the story so far. I did the first seven chapters first because I really wanted to get them out and I know I wrote in a previous authors note that I put all twelve out and I'm sorry! Life got in the way what can I say. Sorry for the delay! As always please comment! I love to hear from you guys about what you think or what needs improvement! Also from 3/13/18 to 3/20/18 I am hoping to do a little Q&A. If you have any specific questions about myself or Camellia Petals you can comment them and I will do my best to answer them in the next chapter release.

Much love,

MintyOrange

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Bleach; all rights go to their respective owners


	9. Improved

Kagome walked silently beside the Seventh Captain, both curious and wary of him. She felt her hand twitch. Something told her _demon_ and it was that very same thing that was telling her to run as fast and as far as she possibly could. Kagome realized she was staring and looked away, quickly focusing on the passing scenery instead. Plain walls and the occasional shoji screen were the only things visible to her and did little to stimulate her mind.

No one else was walking the same hall as them and Kagome had long ago lost track of how many turns they had taken. Soon enough their path opened into the outside as the hallway became a fenced walkway surrounding an empty pavilion. They passed through another building in silence before coming to a stop at a clearing. It was obviously used as a training ground. Targets littered the far side, opposite of where Kagome and Captain Komamura stood, and scuffs from previous fights were evident in the dirt. The two didn't have to wait long before Kenpachi arrived. Casually nodding to his fellow Captain, Kenpachi waited until Komamura was out of earshot before speaking.

"I'm here to fight you," he grinned "show me what you got"

Kagome huffed sharing her own grin before launching herself at her brother, sword drawn. She swung down hard and was blocked. Using her speed and strength she tried to gain any sort of advantage but to no avail. Feints, jabs, thrusts, slashes, none of them worked as they all were blocked or parried. The two broke apart with only one of them breathing heavily. Kenpachi hadn't even moved so much as an inch as Kagome tried to get a hit in. She rained blow after blow down only to have them all thwarted. For all her training she sure felt like a fool. She didn't want to be hasty but the result of the fight, if she continued as she was, was clear.

This is going nowhere fast.

"Burn all but the sky" Kagome spoke softly as her sword transformed into its Shikai State. Kagome's Zanpakuto now resembled a much heavier sword roughly a hand wide and 5 long. Reminiscent of a Moro Kris, a wavy sword not commonly seen as a Zanpakuto. The peaks of the curves were pointed instead of the traditional rounded shape giving the blade a somewhat serrated edge. The middle of the blade was cut out leaving a pointed oval shape in the center. To Kenpachi, this gap served no discernable purpose.

For such a small person it seemed impossible that Kagome could lift such a huge sword but she did so with no visible effort. Blue flames licked the length of her Zanpakuto. Again, they clashed, but this time Kagome was able to get a burn on her brother when her flames flared randomly. She counted it as a hit. However, she failed to move him and the frustration began to creep in. She was determined to make him move any way she could.

 _'Time to kick it up a notch. Let show him what we can really do.'_

Her sword spirit began to protest.

 _'I don't think we sh-'_

Kagome knew she was being too hasty but she was determined to move him even if it was only a step. She leaped a good distance away from the Eleventh Captain. Kagome concentrated, gathering together the power that was about to be unleashed, the fruits of countless days spent by herself with only Shippou for company in the basement of her shop

"Bankai"

With a flick of her wrist, her sword snapped open to reveal the structure of a longbow, the split middle gap serving as the curves of the bow, bladed edges facing out. The string connected at the tip of the blades pulled taut as the two halves fell further away from each other. Her sword grip had hinged at the bottom and connected the now two swords together giving the bow a proper grip.

Around her floated ten glowing arrows. Kagome plucked one from in front of her and loaded it into her bow, drawing back the string, and grinning at satisfaction as the arrow lit ablaze with azure flames. Eyes locked onto her target she watched the arrow streak away like a comet, heading straight for Kenpachi… only to see him dodge it. The disappointment was immediate and it shattered her focus.

Going up against her older brother was like going up against a brick wall. Kagome narrowed her eyes, a brick wall indeed. She went in for another exchange with the bladed end of her weapon but it was too soon. Her thoughts weren't organized and her moves were sloppy. Almost immediately Kenpachi had maneuvered behind her and held his own blade up against her throat. It was over and deep down Kagome knew she had never really stood a chance, but still, she had wanted to make him move, just one step. She hadn't come into the fight hoping to win, she hadn't really known what she had wanted out of it, but when she saw the difference in their power she wanted to show that she…

That she wouldn't disappoint him. Could she really be considered the family of Kenpachi Zaraki if she was this pathetic in battle?

A hand on her head brought her back to reality as she felt her hair get ruffled

"H-hey! Don't do that!" she squirmed away from Kenpachi's grasp while he looked at her with his one eye.

"You've gotten better"

She huffed "Well of course I did. Last time we fought I was, what, six?

Kenpachi grinned "Now you fight like you're eight"

Kagome could have screamed.

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Bleach; all rights go to their respective owners


	10. Camellias

Hitsugaya sat on a large black cushion and stared silently at the tatami mat floor of the meeting room as if he wanted to set it ablaze. The current situation had not left his mind for a second and continued to plague his thoughts throughout the day and previous night.

Captain Yamamoto called a 'Captain's meeting' in the early hours of the morning under the pretense of the normal monthly reports. It was a convenient excuse, seeing as it would be the correct time for such things, but everyone knew that it was a meeting to discuss the future of one Kagome Higurashi. The issue was currently the most popular debate amongst the lower ranks, even going so far as to split entire squads down the middle. Some argued for the woman to be detained, as per the law, but others countered that she had the ability to save numerous lives if given the chance.

Among the higher ranks, it was hardly a discussion. The majority wanted the laws followed and justice delivered. To them, she had broken the laws and that was that. Toshiro, of course, wanted her to be free of all charges but he was one of the scarce few that held the same ideal. He knew that Captain Unohana shared his desire to see the girl free and maybe even reintroduce her into their ranks but that was all that he was sure of. He also knew that he could not depend on the Fourth Division Captain to lead the defense since she was often far too polite and soft-spoken, it would be immensely beneficial to have her backing the proposition but that was all she would be likely to do at the current time.

The white-haired Captain looked up from the floor as the echoing tap of Captain Yamamoto's cane reached his ears. Yamamoto nodded to all of the others present and sat down on a large red cushion looking relaxed and at ease; Hitsugaya, who sat rigidly, was almost envious. On edge and thinking about how he could turn the outcome to his favor, as he observed the rest of the Captains. Unfortunately none could be read so easily as with a quick glance so instead, he turned his attention back to the Commander who was seated behind the only desk in the room, which was of course piled with papers of various concerning matters submitted by someone or another.

"I, Captain Yamamoto, call this meeting to order." he looked out to the other seated Captains making certain of their attention before continuing, "Our first topic will be presented by Captain Retsu Unohana"

Unohana nodded respectfully at Yamamoto before addressing the others in the room,

"It was brought to my attention that we have in our custody Kagome Higurashi, formerly known under the name Kiname Higurashi of the Fifth Division. Recently she has shown incredible prowess in the art of healing. It is my wish to reinstate and introduce her as a member of the Fourth Division."

The Captain was concise in her statement and it surprised Hitsugaya how bold she was in her push to pardon Kagome. While completely unexpected it was also relieving that such a powerful and respected Captain was heading the attack. There was a deafening silence after her words but soon enough another voice raised its opposition.

"Is it not also true that Ms. Higurashi abandoned her post and was reported missing for the last twenty years, not only did she resist arrest but she is also under speculation of murder. Regardless of whatever power, she seems to demonstrate she broke Shinigami law and by those laws, her punishment should be, in the least, detention" The Sixth Captain, Byakuya Kuchiki, spoke. His argument was sound and sent a slight panic running through Hitsugaya's veins. He would wait to see how the issue ran before he would reveal what he had learned from Kagome herself; it wasn't much but if it came to such a point then it could tip the scales, her knowledge of Aizen's "secrets" could be argued to be invaluable. Surprisingly Sui Feng was the next to speak up

"I agree with Captain Kuchiki, if the girl has broken the laws then she must be punished accordingly."

Hitsugaya could see how this was going and it wasn't in his favor, he needed someone to speak up but he didn't want to reveal his argument until it was truly necessary, its weak nature could become a hindrance instead of a help if used incorrectly. When no one spoke and it seemed that the Commander was about to call for a vote, Hitsugaya opened his mouth to speak but was beaten by Kenpachi who interjected before the argument could become stale.

"Captain Unohana, how many healers are currently in your division?" his voice rumbled through the air like thunder.

The Fourth Captain looked startled to be suddenly addressed but answered the question anyway "We have one hundred and twelve currently"

"And how rare are healers?"

Captain Unohana raised her eyebrows at what exactly Kenpachi was getting at,

"Good healers are rare due to the specific reishi needed and the delicate control required to do any sort of healing. Recruits must train for years before they are ready to heal so much as a paper cut." she continued more confidently, addressing the whole room, "The Fourth Division currently is the smallest division and the hardest to find recruits for. Not only are competent Shinigami desperately needed but in the event of war or large-scale illness we currently don't have enough members to deal with it. Kagome is skilled and is able to heal multiple people at one time, something that takes rare talent and a certain level of proficiency."

Before Hitsugaya could bring up anything else the Commander nodded and began to speak,

"I believe it is time that we vote on a course of action, all those in favor of allowing Kagome Higurashi to be reinstated?" Hitsugaya immediately put his hand up along with Kenpachi, Captain Unohana, Captain Shunsui Kyoraku, Captain Komamura, and Captain Ukitake. The voting was exactly half, excluding the Captain-Commander, and Toshiro looked to the Head Captain for his decision. The old man sat for a moment before addressing the room,

"Since the voting is split I will allow Ms. Higurashi to be reinstated, after three months time, we will reconvene to discuss the issue once more. Should the vote still be split then she will be detained." The Tenth Captain visibly relaxed and let go of the breath that he had been unconsciously holding. They had a chance.

"Thank you all. If there are any more discussions please talk to my Lieutenant; you are all dismissed." As the Captains all got up to leave Yamamoto spoke again, "Oh and Byakuya, a word"

The Sixth Captain stayed seated as the others filed out, catching the eye of Hitsugaya when he looked back at them as he left. Byakuya cleared his thoughts and sat silently, his posture poised and perfect as usual, until the two were alone.

"Captain Kuchiki, I want Kagome Higurashi to be a member of the Sixth Division" the Captain Commander informed him, never one for frilly words he got straight to the point, "I think with the right structure and training she could be useful to us". The Sixth Captain narrowed his eyes fractionally, "Would the girl not be more suited to the Fourth Division? I'm sure Captain Unohana is more than competent-"

"Yes but I think you would be _better_ " Yamamoto interrupted as he stared at the younger Captain with hard eyes until Byakuya acquiesced; there was no arguing with the Commander.

"She will be tested and treated accordingly in two days time, we shall see then where she falls" Byakuya countered. While he could not outright reject an order from the First Division Captain he would not settle for a subpar Shinigami in his squad.

The older man smiled, the crows feet around his eyes crinkling, "I would expect nothing less"

* * *

AN~

So just to clarify one thing that I figure may be a little confusing: the average size of a squad is around 200-300 members. Squad Four only has 100-150 which makes them the smallest squad by a large margin. this also means that they have a legitimate excuse to ask for Kagome's reinstatement.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Bleach; all rights go to their respective owners


	11. Ranking

Hitsugaya walked briskly along the polished wooden paths that bordered and connected the large buildings of the complex coming to a stop in front of broad stone doors which throughout this whole situation had become an increasingly familiar sight. Guards stood on either side, pikes crossed to prevent entry. Toshiro only needed to give them a cold stare for them to move, as they should, since he was a Captain after all.

Once inside he walked hastily to where they were holding Kagome. Her cell was at the end of the long hallway as far from the door as they could place her, insinuating that she was the most dangerous inmate of the level. As he approached, Hitsugaya could hear Kagome talking to someone quietly but could not hear anyone else. He could tell it wasn't the normal one-sided conversation she might have with Shippou, her fox, so who was it? Who was she talking to? Eventually, Kagome's cell came into his sight but much to his annoyance, no one besides the woman herself was there. Kagome, who had stopped talking as soon as he appeared, smiled at him from her spot on the bed, the picture of innocence. She seemed relaxed, sitting crisscross 'applesauce' with Shippou curled up in her lap.

"Hey Toshiro, what's up?"

Normally such complete lack of respect would have vexed him almost to the point of anger but he found that in light of the recent news he couldn't find it in himself to mind. Kagome studied him, pleasantly surprised at not seeing the tenseness that he had shown before. She surmised that he must have come with good news.

"The council has decided to reinstate you as a Shinigami. You will be on probation for three months after which they will meet again to decide if you can be trusted."

Needless to say, Kagome was ecstatic at first until the reality of the situation set in.

She got up from her cot suddenly, dropping poor Shippou on the floor while she paced the room.

Don't get it wrong she was beyond happy to not be punished, _especially for something she didn't do,_ she thought bitterly, but this presented a whole new set of problems for her. She _wanted_ to clear her name, to be close to her brother again and have a purpose to her life but there were a lot of risks and to accept this blindly could spell out worse things for her. Kagome hesitated,

"Let me think about it" she replied.

Of course, that didn't sit well with Toshiro at all and he felt anger rear its head, "Think about it?! Kagome this is your only option, you don't get to think about it!" He yelled at her.

Kagome smiled ruefully, though for different reasons than Hitsugaya knew. She appreciated the concern, she really did, but she had escaped Shinigami notice for nearly twenty years right under their nose and was fairly confident in her skills for escape, as long as she wasn't on death row. It would only hurt worse if he kept making things more difficult.

"Can you come here?" she asked quietly, waving the Captain closer as if to tell him a secret.

Although he was growing increasingly frustrated with her, he complied, walking until he was almost flush against the bars staring at her through narrowed eyes. She laughed, trying to lighten the mood, "You, sir, are a grump!"

In all the seriousness she could muster Kagome motioned for him to turn his ear toward her so she could whisper whatever it is she wanted to tell him; once again he entertained her. Kagome leaned in and quickly pecked him lightly on his cheek, "Thank You" she whispered before she turned her back to him, picking up Shippou, and sitting determinedly on her cot. He jerked away from the bars of the cell abruptly as if burned, before leaving as quickly as he had come with worried thoughts and heated cheeks.

It didn't take long for Kagome to reach her decision after that. While it would have been easier for her to escape, something inside her told her she needed to stop running.

Kagome had lain for hours, cuddling Shippou and losing herself to random thoughts, waiting for someone to come and retrieve her. _Unless Toshiro told them I might reject the offer_ she thought to herself before completely dismissing the idea. No matter how much he might be angry with her he wouldn't betray her like that. Kagome firmly believed in, if not their friendship, the Captain's sense of honor. She would go along with the plan to become a Shinigami again and no one would have to know she considered rejecting it.

Kagome waited in her cell for longer than she thought possible before she was visited again. This time it was the Captain of the Sixth Division, Byakuya Kuchiki, who came for her. Soundlessly he took out a ring of heavy looking keys and unlocked her cell. She didn't need to be told to follow as she scurried after the imposing man, Shippou at her heels.

"It has been decided that you will join the Sixth Division. I am taking you to the training fields to be tested and ranked accordingly." Kagome nodded before realizing that he wasn't looking at her and thus hadn't seen it,

"Y-yes" she stuttered out. _Come on girl get it together_ Kagome scolded herself for sounding so meek but couldn't bring herself to break the heavy silence as they walked to the training grounds.

Previously, when she had been there with Kenpachi, the grounds were empty, looking back on it now Kagome was sure that it had been his doing since now they were filled with people, members of Squad Six milling around and talking animatedly. As Captain Kuchiki entered everything went silent and the large crowd parted to give the man space, moving into a wide circle. Amongst the crowd, Kagome was able to spot a certain head of red hair and if the Captain were not present she would have shouted the man's name just to embarrass him. Her focus returned to the Captain as he began to speak,

"Those of you here to participate in the ranking will step forward to fight individually, those of you who are not may watch at a distance". Had Kagome not been a Shinigami before, she would have been impressed with the level of obedience displayed in the Sixth Squad, however, knowing the stories of the Captain in front of her, this kind of thing was to be expected. Byakuya was famous, at least among the lower ranks, for having a strict sense of who qualified to be a part of his squad. The man in question glanced down at her with frigid grey eyes and, placing a hand inside his Captains robe, withdrew her Zanpakuto and handed it to her before turning and walking into the crowd.

Kagome was sure he would be watching from a better vantage point and chose to focus on the task at hand. The number of people who stepped up to challenge her was more than she expected but she was committed to this plan. She would become a Shinigami one way or another. As the first of the challengers stepped toward her she unsheathed her Zanpakuto and readied herself for the fight.

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Bleach; all rights go to their respective owners


	12. Yield

Kagome knew how a ranking worked, at least she knew how it had worked twenty years ago. She would fight anyone who stepped up, without break in between, until she yielded or became unable to fight. From there, the supervising Captain would determine where she ranked based off not only her wins but also the skills she demonstrated. She shifted from foot to foot uneasily eyeing each of the people she would be facing. They were all nameless to her. Most she assumed were low-class fighters hoping to rank up. Kagome spotted a few that looked much more cautious, more prepared, those she knew would give her some trouble.

The first to step up was a young man. Wearing the standard issued uniform, he held a cocky grin with bushy black hair tied in a low ponytail. For some reason, he reminded her of someone. She couldn't tag a name or a face to it but the look in his eyes, eager and arrogant, stirred her mind in a way it hadn't experienced in a long time.

Without rhyme or reason, she hated this man. She hated the light in his eyes, the tilt of his lips, right down to the ground he walked upon. Something about him just made her want to crush him into the unforgiving dirt. She doubted the fight would be long. Immediately she released her Shikai, watching the azure flames burn for a brief moment before her eyes narrowed and she steadied her stance. Her opponent did the same, his Shikai making the blade substantially larger. It curved to a wicked point with a fur covered hilt. Giving his sword an extra flashy spin in his hand, Kagome was tempted to roll her eyes, he readied himself. Once he was ready she struck.

All was still before the resounding echo of the two blades shattered the silence. He barely made the block, eyes wide with shock as the rush of air hit his face blowing back a few stray black strands. She could feel his arms shake and fought back a smile.

Kagome refused to give him any time at all, ferociously attacking from every possible angle, forcing him back step after step until he tripped, falling flat on his butt. The arrogance had long left, and in its place were awe and fear. Getting up from the ground he beat a hasty retreat back into the silent crowd. Kagome stood still, facing the onlookers, waiting for the next challenger.

Over the course of the next hour a few took up the challenge, the fights got progressively longer and longer, wearing Kagome out little by little. Her steps felt slower, her aim began to swing a little wide but still, she held. The fights excited her, awakening a passion she had not been able to indulge in for some time. She didn't merely fight with her Zanpakuto, she danced. Together the two moved fluidly, an extension of each other, in perfect harmony. Her bond was still strong but it had dulled a little over time; now though, she could feel it blazing stronger than ever. It filled her blood with joy and pride. Liquid fire washed over her until that was what she became.

For a moment nobody challenged her. She'd fought ten people last she counted, back to back, of varying degrees of strength. The first one proved no challenge but the latest had been the most successful so far, capable of moving Kagome around the training area to avoid their attacks. Slightly winded she waited until a familiar head of red started to move through the throng of people heading her way.

Kagome sucked in a breath. Sure she had teased the man mercilessly when she had met him but this was a _ranking_ and he was the _Lieutenant_. She liked to fight but she didn't have a death wish. Of course, her mind supplied that he couldn't actually kill her but she sure as hell would want to die after the thorough beating she was certain to get. The crowd began to whisper, murmurs rising like early morning fog.

 _Please don't challenge me, please don't challenge me, please don't…_

Renji drew his sword

"You mother-" she ground out, not bothering to finish the curse as she too drew her sword. Shifting her feet to better defend, Kagome waited for the strike to come.

The force of it hit her like the dizzy spells she used to have as a child, unpredictably fast. She felt her arms and legs begin to buckle before panic and adrenaline made her straighten up, This time she wouldn't have the option to rest. It was then that she realized his sword hadn't even been released yet. The audience cheered on their senior officer.

It was a test.

Kagome heard the Lieutenant call out his Zanpakuto's name, watching as it transformed into a large, toothed sword. She noted how it would be perfect for ripping into flesh and shivered minutely at the idea. Kagome wasn't allowed to think much more before he was upon her again but this time from a distance. She saw with widened eyes as the sword extended becoming a bladed whip-like weapon. It easily slid past her defense slicing her in the side. At this point, the crowd was roaring, mostly for the red-haired Lieutenant.

Blood ran freely down her side but she no longer cared. Until she yielded the fight could technically continue on; though most chose to end it at first blood Kagome wasn't "most". The cut wasn't nearly deep enough for her to even consider it. Kagome slashed her sword harshly through the air igniting it in cobalt fire. Choosing to engage him in close combat so he would have to retract his sword she charged him head-on, flash stepping until she was close enough to lock blades. If her approach surprised him the Lieutenant did show it. Their interlock only lasted a few minutes before his superior strength was able to throw her back. This allowed him to extend his sword yet again stopping just at her neck, drawing a single drop of blood that welled up and ran down her neck, soaking into her shirt.

He raised an eyebrow at her, a smug smile ghosting his lips. She responded with a glare. While he fully expected her yield she had one last gift for him. Grabbing his sword she sent her fire racing down the blade scorching the redhead's hand. He dropped his sword with a yell after which Kagome quickly replied.

"I yield"

* * *

AN~

Wow. This one took a while I'm not gonna lie. By the end, it kinda sounds like Kagome didn't have her Shikai out but she did, it had been out since the beginning. Just so you guys know because I know when reading it I thought I hadn't written her doing that but I did, it was just a bit farther in than I had thought. Also, the next chapter might take a week or two but hopefully I'll be able to hunker down and write it sometime soon.

Much Love,

MintyOrange

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Bleach; all rights go to their respective owners


	13. The Well

The Lieutenant, Renji her mind supplied her, glared at her as he bent to pick up his sword with his good hand. It was warm to the touch but otherwise completely fine. He glanced at her again in annoyance before making his exit. Kagome berated herself. Now the Lieutenant, her new superior, hated her.

Nice going Kagome.

The crowd seemed to disperse after that as people divided into their own groups. She had yielded; the fight was over and no one could fight her even if they wanted to. Her ranking, whatever the Captain decided it was, was secured for the time being and only the Captain could change it.

Kagome stood for a moment as the other shinigami filed away taking the chance to calm her racing heart. She took deep breaths, inhaling precious air and exhaling it slowly. The whole event was rather abrupt, almost anticlimactic in its end, and she had some trouble adjusting to her new situation. In moments she had gone from prisoner to ally, foe to friend. She was now a ranked member of Division Six.

Her sword remained in its Shikai state as she spotted the Sixth Captain, her Captain, make his way toward her. Behind him trailed a rather short girl. She looked around the same age as Kagome with sharp amber eyes and straight mahogany hair that flowed freely down her back.

The Captain approached Kagome, glancing briefly at her still transformed zanpakuto before addressing her.

"This is Enju, she will be showing you to the barracks," the girl behind him moved forward. Captain Kuchiki paused as if to say something else before turning away, leaving the two girls alone in stale silence.

Kagome tried to make light conversation "Enju is it? Nice to meet you," she held out her hand to the other girl "I'm Kagome Higurashi"

The air seemed to rapidly cool as Enju shot her an icy look. She stared at Kagome for a minute in unrestrained disdain before turning away, leaving Kagome's hand outstretched.

"The barracks are this way"

Kagome was mildly shocked at the treatment but followed anyway, staying a step behind. She sheathed her sword in the meantime, sliding it smoothly into its case with a faint blue glow and the whisper of metal on wood. She felt Shippou slink past her ankle, brushing his fur against her in a silent reassurance. She looked down at him with a smile. Lost in thought, she wondered what she had done to warrant such a reaction from the other girl.

When Enju stopped to open the door to the barrack Kagome almost ran into her. It was a low built building that seemed to be longer than it was wide. The outside walls were a blinding white and screamed of the hours of meticulous cleaning required to maintain such a state, in fact, the whole building seemed to exude a pristine aura. Large enough to house the couple hundred of shinigami of Squad Six the building seemed to loom in front of her, cold and unfamiliar. Enju walked on and Kagome walked faster to catch up with Shippou trotting along beside her.

Inside, the corridors were all the same. Uniform white walls and wooden floors blurred past, thoroughly confusing Kagome as the two walked in uncomfortable silence. They stopped by one of the many doors. There was nothing special about it, nothing that especially stood out to Kagome. It was made of dark brown wood like all the others. If anything it seemed smaller, more narrow than the rest.

"This is your room" Enju stated, bored.

She was suddenly hit with a wave of exhaustion as the day's events caught up with her. Kagome reached forward and grasped the handle. At first, she couldn't get the door to move, much to her embarrassment, but after a particularly violent pull, she managed to get it open. The resounding shriek had Kagome wincing. She glanced to her side to offer the other girl an apologetic smile only to find said person missing. She huffed, looking down at Shippou who stared back and shrugged. With her feathers now considerably ruffled, the two entered the room and Kagome unceremoniously closed the door behind them, this time with much more ease and less noise.

Everything left her mind except for one thing: sleep. The room was surprising small she noted. Even in the Fifth Division, the rooms had been more spacious. This appeared to be little more than a large closet. A twin bed was situated up against the left wall and directly across from the door was a desk squished between the edge of the bed and the opposite wall. To the right was a simple dresser. Other than that, the room held no other furnishings. There was enough space to walk in and out but not much else.

Kagome sighed, far from caring at the moment, and moved to sit on the bed. As she sat heavily on the mattress, however, a cloud of dust plumbed sending her into a coughing fit. It was then, in the dimness she realized that the room had not been cleaned and a thin layer of dust coated every surface. Shippou sneezed, staggering a bit from its strength.

Kagome whined in the back of her throat, wishing now more than ever for the warm comfort of her bed at home. Defeated, she sluggishly stripped the sheets from the bed. They had at least done a good job in keeping the mattress underneath more or less free of dust. She decidedly ignored the suspicious stain in the middle of the mattress and laid down. She would clean her room in the morning after a much-deserved shower. Shippou curled up at the foot of the small bed as Kagome's mind began to fade into a blissful oblivion that she welcomed with open arms.

Kagome found herself once again in the dark forest she had been in before. This time she anticipated the arrival of the fox and allowed herself to admire its lustrous russet coat with shocks of azure flames running through it. Once more it beckoned her to follow so she did. Darker and darker the path grew until she had to hold out a hand in front of her to avoid hitting a tree. Up ahead she could see light beginning to shine and her eyes gradually adjusted as dark blue light permeated the darkness, transforming it into something akin to a galaxy. Kagome stepped closer. At the center of the rays stood an old well. It was square and made of wood, filled to the brim with a silvery, mirror-like liquid.

The fox leapt up to the rim of the well motioning Kagome closer with a flick of its tail,

 _'Tell me what you see'_

Kagome peered into the liquid but saw only her own reflection peering back at her

"I don't see anything"

She poked the still surface of the liquid with a curious finger creating gentle ripples in its surface. The ripples reached the rim of the well making it glow a dark sapphire. Within the well, swirls of colors moved fading in and out before producing pictures of startling vividity. They were people and places, most that she didn't recognize or remember; a white-haired man with dog ears dressed in a red haori and hakama wielding a large, slightly curved sword. She mused that it looked like a fang. More images flitted past her eyes.

"Wait" she murmured as an image of a young woman with a large boomerang on her back flashed in front of her "was that Sango?" it was too quick to really tell but the woman shown had seemed very similar to her friend. The well finally settled on an image of a round pink gem, perfectly spherical and gleaming in iridescence. Kagome sucked in a harsh breath "That's the Hogyoku"

The fox had not moved the entire time, perched stiffly on the lip of the well he regarded her with a critical eye. He leapt down to her feet seeming to sloat down placing one front paw on the ground before the others he began to pad away tail swishing. Kagome was startled "Wai-Wait. Wait!" she jogged up to him "What just happened?" the fox only looked over his shoulder, meeting her ocean eyes with his own green ones and reflecting the receding light behind the two,

 _'It's time to wake up'_

* * *

AN~

oh my lord this was hard to write. so we get a tiny bit more about kagome who hopefully is going to start piecing some memories together and whatnot. as always comment your thoughts, let me know how you feel, critism is always welcome!

Thanky you for reading this fic! it really means alot to me that so many people actually enjoy what i write

See ya next time!

MintyOrange

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Bleach; all rights go to their respective owners


	14. Tenth

Furious knocking snapped her from her dream and her eyes were still closed but as the rest of her woke up they too opened. She groaned quietly, muscles aching as she walked the few steps it took to get to the door, careful to avoid stepping on Shippou in the limited space. Narrowed amber eyes met her own cerulean as she blearily gazed at Enju.

"What," she yawned, "is it?" she wiped at one of her eyes with the palm of her hand, the other eye stayed weakly open, trying to pay attention to the other girl.

Enju scowled "The Captain wants to see you," she looked the shorter girl up and down with a scowl "now". Kagome jumped into action, the new information sparking her awake. Slamming the door shut in the other Enju's face, she leaned against it in a panic. She was far from presentable, still in yesterday's clothes and covered in dust and dirt, Kagome glanced down at Shippou who had been similarly torn from his own rest by the sound of the door slamming shut.

"What am I going to do?"

He huffed at her as if to say 'it's-not-my-problem' before uncurling himself and padding to the door expectantly.

Kagome nodded, "You're right. I can't do anything about it, so I might as well get this over with" she grabbed her Zanpakuto, not even bothering to secure it to herself, and reopened the door to a rather annoyed Enju.

"Done talking to yourself?" she sneered.

Kagome flushed with embarrassment at the knowledge that Enju had heard the entire exchange through the door. If only the floor would swallow her up. Enju tched before walking away with a flip of her long hair. Kagome followed, glad for the silence.

When they reached the Captain's office Enju left; it almost seemed as if she had never been there in the first place but Kagome wasn't bothered. She had more important things on her mind, like how her hands were starting to sweat and how she was debating just turning back the way she came, but before she could act on it she heard Byakuya's voice sound from behind the shoji doors, bidding her to enter.

The doors slid silently aside as she hesitantly pushed them open, "Ah hello, sir, You...wanted to see me?"

Captain Kuchiki looked up from the paper he was writing on and nodded curtly, "Mrs. Higurashi, I've called you here for your evaluation." He looked at her, _through her_ , for a moment before refocusing, "You placed tenth."

Kagome wasn't all that shocked. She had been a ranking member under Aizen and _although it had been higher than tenth,_ it had been a while since she had practiced against another person for any length of time. This was expected, good even. She could establish herself at a high enough rank to earn some respect without undermining the current authority. She didn't want the responsibilities that came with a superior rank and tenth rank allowed her enough privilege that she was happy with it. Mentally she cheered that she wouldn't be drowning in paperwork.

 _God knows that Toshiro hates paperwork._

The thought had come unbidden and soured the rest of her inner musings,

"Is that all, sir?" she asked, impatient to get out of the office.

Captain Kuchiki observed her for a moment more before nodding, dismissing her. With his permission now granted, Kagome near bolted from the room, leaving as quick as proprietary allowed her. She needed to sort out her feelings or someone was going to get hurt and it would be better to do it sooner rather than later. She needed to go home.

So encouraged at the thought of her cozy shop and familiar rooms, Kagome strode out of the sixth division compound and traversed across the seireitei toward the Fourth District gate. It was a small walk and she traveled it at a brisk pace until she was finally at the bustling streets of the fourth district where once her foot touched the ground outside the seireitei, she sprinted for home. The wind bounced beneath her hair sending the already structurally unsound braid to its death as it unraveled behind her. Kagome laughed out loud, enjoying the sights and sounds of her mad dash for freedom. She ran, and twirled around people, receiving curious stares and scathing looks as she whipped through the crowds untamed and wild.

Finally, she made it to her street where she skidded to a halt, smile fading from her face like mist in the sun.

Debris was everywhere. Buildings that had been there since she moved in were gone and no one walked the street. She walked closer to her own building. Being a fair distance from the fighting, it had been virtually untouched as well as few houses near her, but for the most part everything else was leveled.

She could spot an elderly couple picking up pieces from a heap of what must have once been their house, their clothes were covered in dust and they moved slowly, from grief or arthritis Kagome didn't know. Quickly she ducked into her own lodging, maybe she would help later but she wasn't here for an extended period of time right now. She wasn't even sure she truly had permission to leave the seireitei or not, she just hoped she wouldn't get reported for it.

As she made her way into the shop she caught Sango making her way to the very door she stood in. She was dressed in old work clothes that had seen better days but paused in disbelief at the sight of her friend before rushing over, arms outstretched,

"Kagome! I was so worried! I came in after the attack and you were gone, I didn't know what to think!" she hugged the other girl tightly before cuffing her upside the head "Where were you young lady? You had me worried sick!"

Kagome laughed then, high and breathy as she doubled over,

"Oh Sango, never change." She chuckled before sobering up to answer the question, "I was taken in by the shinigami," she told the other girl. She didn't know how much she could say, and told Sango as much, only that she was well, would be gone for a while, and that she had full reign of the shop in her absence.

"And where are you going?" Kagome asked, bringing up the observation she had made earlier about Sango's state of dress.

Sango looked at her in confusion for a moment before it clicked and she nodded "Oh yeah, I was going to help that elderly couple down the street. Most people left and took refuge with friends or family but they don't seem to have anybody," she glanced the side sheepishly, "I was hoping to give them a guest room in the meantime if that's ok with you?"

Kagome nodded her head firmly "You have a good heart Sango, of course, yes, you can just put them in the guest bedroom." she sighed, giving the girl one more quick hug before heading to the upstairs, "I'm just going to meditate for a bit" she threw over her shoulder as they parted ways.

 _I need to sort some things out._

* * *

AN~ Picking it back up after a long while away! It might take a little to get to the real plot behind this baby, but we'll just have to see how this works out. I'm also going to be reposting the older chapters and fixing a few things.

To YukinaBlueRose: thank you for pointing out the mistake in chapter one, you're right, I messed up on that little detail and will be fixing it in the reposting!

To the rest of y'all, thank you for your continued support and interest (even if I am terribly slow).  
Much love, MintyOrange

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Bleach


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